Black Tiger Sword — Part 3
“Why are you suddenly offering me a director position?”
“Can we really keep someone who received the Black Tiger Sword from the Legion Commander as just an ordinary member?”
From the perspective of the Hunter Association, it made sense.
However, I firmly shook my head.
“Apologies. I’m a bit busy at the moment. I’m afraid it would be difficult for me to take on the role of director.”
“Not even willing to hear the terms?”
“No, it would still be hard.”
A director position?
It wasn’t bad, but there was no particular reason for me to accept it.
Frankly, being an officer in the Eastern Army seemed like a better option.
After all, as the Legion Commander’s disciple, I’d benefit from that reputation and have the chance to learn the Commander’s exclusive martial arts.
“Hmm…”
Director Kang furrowed his brows, while the department heads looked incredulous.
It must’ve been a move they thought would surely work.
A moment of silence passed before Director Kang offered a second proposal.
“Well then, how about becoming an honorary director?”
“An honorary director?”
“Yes. We wouldn’t assign you any responsibilities as a director. All we ask is that you attend the quarterly meeting once every three months. In return, we’ll guarantee a net annual salary of 1 billion won, along with all associated benefits.”
1 billion won!
Even though I already possessed assets worth tens of billions, the allure of an ultra-high salary was undeniable.
And the benefits for the position were no joke.
Maintenance support for a luxury off-road SUV, expenses to hire up to four staff members—drivers, secretaries, or bodyguards. They’d even provide a 50-pyeong detached house near the association if I wanted.
Additional perks like medical expenses, consumable purchases, and temple donations were also covered, but let’s skip over the smaller details for now.
“Hmm…”
Honestly, I was tempted.
No obligations—essentially, a dream job where I’d get paid without needing to commute or work.
Director Kang sealed the deal with a final blow.
“And there’s one more thing: only if you accept the director position can we give you the Dasan Guns.”
What? Dasan Guns?
“The Dasan Guns? Are you saying you’ll give those to me?”
“Yes. A simple magical gun wouldn’t suit someone of your caliber. At the very least, it has to be the Dasan Guns, don’t you agree?”
“Gasp, the Dasan Guns…”
“Wow… I’m jealous, Hunter Kim.”
Dasan Guns.
When first created, they didn’t have that nickname, but as time passed, people began calling them that.
The reason was simple.
They were made by Dasan Jeong Yakyong.
In the original world, he was a renowned Silhak scholar. But in this world, he was an 8th-level mage and a famed magical scientist of late Joseon.
He especially excelled in crafting weapons.
Particularly firearms.
“How many are you offering?”
“Up to two. Our association only has two Dasan Guns in its possession.”
And they’re giving both?
In the game, you had to hunt down hundreds of rare beasts and rack up significant contributions before the association would begrudgingly hand over just one.
The influence of the Black Tiger Sword and the Legion Commander is enormous.
At this point, refusing would just be foolish.
“All right. If you’re going to such lengths for me, it would be rude to decline. I’ll accept.”
“You’ve made the right decision! Hahaha! The Hunter Association will never be a hindrance to you, Director Kim, only a source of support. Hahaha!”
Director Kang laughed heartily, his throat fully visible as he did.
Chiefs Park and Lee extended their hands for a handshake.
“Looking forward to working with you, Director Kim!”
“From now on, I’m following Director Kim! The only line worth joining is Director Kim’s line, after all.”
“Hey, now. You guys work under me! Why are you trying to jump ship to Director Kim’s line?”
“After nearly dying under your line, isn’t that enough? I’m officially Director Kim’s loyal supporter now!”
“What did you just say?!”
We immediately moved to the Hunter Association.
The atmosphere was somber and heavy.
It seemed the news had already spread.
Amid the subdued mood, Director Kang led me to the association’s storage room.
The deepest part of the storage.
Two guns were mounted on the wall.
The air was steeped in an antique charm.
Both the barrels and bodies of the guns were crafted from luxurious ebony wood. Intricate gold patterns were inlaid throughout, and small gemstones, resembling constellations, emitted a subtle magical pulse.
The design resembled muskets. Like the single-shot rifles used by 19th-century infantry in films.
However, the barrels were relatively short, and the stocks were distinctively well-made.
There was even a magazine slot—something muskets didn’t have.
They looked more like modern firearms than 19th-century ones.
Click.
Director Kang went through biometric and magical authentication to unlock them.
“You’re aware there are five types of Dasan Guns, correct?”
“Yes. Two pistols, a shotgun, a rifle, and a sniper rifle.”
“You’re well-informed. The ones we have are the shotgun and sniper rifle. They were donated by our founders after being used.”
“You’re really giving these to me?”
“Well, not entirely. Consider them a permanent loan. You understand, right?”
That meant I could use them until I died—then they’d have to be returned.
Given the founders had donated them, it was reasonable.
‘The Hunter Association sure has a long history.’
Its origins trace back to the Chakho Gabsa of the Joseon Dynasty.
Not as old as the Mage Tower or the Church, but still a deeply rooted organization.
“If you’re already this far in, collecting all five Dasan Guns wouldn’t be a bad idea. There’s a legend that if you gather all five, you can uncover Dasan’s magical book.”
That’s not a magical book.
It’s a relic that unlocks advanced traits for the gunslinger build.
Wait, gunslinger?
Right now, I’m on the verge of completing the gunslinger build, too.
All I need is to acquire the [Rapid Fire] trait, and my preparation will be complete.
The gunslinger build excels at taking down people, so gathering the Dasan Guns in advance wouldn’t be a bad idea.
I took the two guns handed to me by Director Kang.
They felt noticeably heavier than modern firearms.
For comparison, the K2 rifle I’d used in the military weighed a little over 3 kilograms. These each weighed over 5 kilograms.
But with my strength, they felt as light as feathers.
Click, click.
As I pulled the bolt back, the metallic sound reverberated.
The magic stones embedded inside the guns began absorbing my mana.
Click, click.
No bullets were fired.
Dasan Guns weren’t mana-powered firearms that used mana as bullets. They were magic-enhanced guns.
Director Kang rattled a box of bullets displayed next to the Dasan Guns.
“The first guns Dasan made were flintlock rifles. Except for the shotgun, all of them were single-shot. But after several modifications, they were adjusted to use modern ammunition. The shotgun uses 12-gauge shells, and the sniper rifle and rifle use 7.62mm rounds.”
“I supply the mana myself, right?”
“Yes. The shotgun can hold 10 rounds, while the sniper rifle can hold 5 rounds. However, charging mana during combat could be risky, so you should consider getting a mana charger or mana storage artifact.”
I already have one.
I lightly stroked the ring on my right index finger.
A trophy I won after defeating Charon, a director of the Cleaner Association.
Using my [Insight] trait, I calculated that it could hold enough mana for 100 shotgun rounds or 50 sniper rifle rounds.
I wouldn’t necessarily need magic bullets.
The Dasan Guns were exceptional weapons on their own.
“The shotgun has the [Impact] ability, and the sniper rifle has the [Phantom Shot] ability. And you’re aware, right? Dasan Guns share their abilities when used together.”
“I’m aware.”
That’s what makes them so overpowered.
[Impact] shatters and repels whatever it hits.
[Phantom Shot] allows the bullet to pass through physical objects and hit incorporeal targets.
With the Dasan sniper rifle, walls became meaningless.
You could simply bypass them and attack directly.
However, this type of attack hit the spirit rather than the body, meaning it wouldn’t kill.
Still, it could easily incapacitate ordinary people—or even low-level superhumans.
In some ways, that was better than outright killing.
‘Too bad the abilities don’t stack.’
If they did, these would be considered top-tier SSR items.
Each Dasan Gun was rated SR, but the full set was SSR.
I’ll have to collect the rest when the opportunity arises.
Director Kang watched with a beaming smile as I placed the two guns into a golf bag.
“How about we hold an inauguration ceremony for you?”
“No need. You’re busy too, aren’t you? Especially since you’ll need to prepare to become the next Association President.”
“Huh? Haha, it’s not confirmed yet.”
“With the current disarray, the quickest way to stabilize things would be for you to take the position, Director Kang.”
“The process is quite complicated. There’s a lot of formalities, including holding a general assembly…”
“You’ll handle it just fine.”
Hurry up and become the Association President.
That way, you can hand me those sweet quests I’ve been waiting for.
The ultimate pushover President!
I’ll be counting on you.
After signing the contract for my directorship, I returned home.
Starting today, I would enjoy all the benefits that came with the position, but I couldn’t be bothered to focus on that right now.
My attention was solely directed elsewhere.
A low hum vibrated through the Black Tiger Sword, which lay resting on my table.
Its unique trait didn’t offer any flashy effects.
Instead, it had the [Indestructible] trait, and its attack power far surpassed other SSR-grade weapons.
It ranked among the top-tier weapons in all of Arcane Seoul.
Unless the story reached Episode 5 and the Gates of Hell opened, bringing an influx of demonic weapons, this sword would remain one of the best—always competing for the top spot.
I slowly lifted the sword.
Recalling the ceremonial stance I’d seen in my memories, I surged forward like a bolt of lightning.
CRACK!
A sound like thunderclaps echoed as a blinding flash of light streaked through the air.
Tiger King’s Ascension.
A name straight out of a martial arts novel.
To put it plainly, it was a charging thrust.
The key lay in the proper utilization of mana.
If executed correctly, the moment the thrust connected, sword energy would erupt from the blade.
“This isn’t easy.”
I repeated the movement a few more times before letting out a long sigh.
Advanced swordsmanship revolved around the manifestation of sword energy.
Even though I was already Level 4 and possessed far more mana than the average warrior, attempting to use sword energy left my heart burning in pain.
‘Let’s master Tiger King’s Ascension first.’
The Tiger King Sword Technique was comprised of four core moves:
— Tiger King’s Ascension
— Tiger King’s Mighty Strike
— Tiger King’s Twin Slash
— Tiger King’s Flight
To summarize: a charging thrust, a charging downward slash, consecutive strikes, and the projection of sword energy.
The charging thrust felt familiar.
A flash.
Or perhaps, a meteor strike.
That was essentially the same as a charging thrust.
I adjusted my traits:
[Tiger King Sword Technique]
[Einherjar Cultivation Technique]
[Mana Core]
[Swordsmanship]
[Focus]
[Flash]
I equipped Flash, but I didn’t activate it yet.
First, I needed to fully master Tiger King’s Ascension.
Once I did, activating it alongside those traits would yield devastating power.
‘The cultivation technique feels like a bit of a bottleneck.’
If I could upgrade to an advanced cultivation technique and strengthen my Mana Core into a Mana Soul,
I’d achieve an ultimate attack on par with—or even surpassing—the Trinity Build.
After all, when it came to raw offensive capability, a warrior surpassed a standard soldier.
Shing!
How many hours of nonstop training had passed?
After draining my mana several times, I found myself repeatedly soaking in the Mana Spring Bath.
Finally, I succeeded in manifesting sword energy.
“Haha!”
Pure swordsmanship—not relying on Flash—had conjured this sword energy.
It was only achievable through the movement of Tiger King’s Ascension, but to me, it was a significant milestone.
‘Next up is Tiger King’s Mighty Strike.’
The charging downward slash.
This one seemed like it would take much longer.
Unlike Flash, I didn’t have prior experience with this type of movement.
And I was right.
It took me an entire week of training just to get a sense of it.
Unlike the thrust, the sword energy it produced was pitifully weak.
At this rate, it wasn’t even viable in real combat.
“Phew!”
I doubled down on my training.
After another week of relentless effort, making it two weeks total, I finally made progress.
CRACK!
As I swung the Black Tiger Sword downward with full force, a thunderous roar resounded.
A crescent-shaped flash of white light appeared, sharp and radiant like the sliver of a crescent moon reflected on water.
It was so precise and deadly that it seemed capable of slicing that very reflection apart.
Simultaneously, a new trait settled within me.
[Severing Moon]
A slash-based trait, similar to Flash.
While I had earned Flash by fulfilling special conditions, Severing Moon was obtained through orthodox training.
As for Tiger King’s Twin Slash and Tiger King’s Flight, I decided to postpone them.
Both moves required consecutive manifestations of sword energy or projecting sword energy into a solid form—tasks that demanded far more mana than I currently had.
It would be better to revisit those techniques once I acquired an advanced cultivation technique or combined it with a Mana Soul.
In the meantime, I wrapped up my previous training.
Shing! BOOM!
I sheathed the Black Tiger Sword, then unsheathed it in a single motion.
But instead of simply drawing the sword, I unleashed its full power in the process.
With both Flash and Severing Moon traits equipped.
It concluded much faster than I expected.
At some point, I felt the blade slide smoothly from its sheath.
A burst of lightning tore through the air in front of me.
[Drawing] Trait Acquired.
“Two more to go…”
Parry and Deflection.
Once those two traits bloomed, I could combine all six into the Swordsmanship Expert trait.
What should I tackle first?
Advanced mana cultivation? Mana Soul? Swordsmanship Expert? Gunslinger?
There were so many options that it was hard to choose.
But for now, I decided to rest.
I’d been pushing myself nonstop since hitting Level 4.
From the Mountain King hunt to the Colosseum, the Hunter Association, and two weeks of grueling training.
Even I needed a break.
I made a strong cup of instant coffee and headed to the rooftop.
Seated in a chair, I savored the sweet taste of my coffee.
The beginning of autumn was upon me.
In the time I’d spent relentlessly pushing forward, September had crept in.
A cool breeze swept down from Geonwoobong Mountain, refreshing my senses. The cicadas, which had been endlessly chirping before my training, had now gone quiet.
“This is nice…”
How long had it been since I’d allowed myself to relax?
My head throbbed slightly.
Though my body didn’t show any signs of strain, it seemed I’d been under more stress than I realized.
I closed my eyes and let myself drift into a gentle sleep, feeling the sanctuary’s protective energy envelop both me and my home.
Honk! Honk! Honk!
The loud sound of a car horn jolted me awake.
What the hell?
I opened my eyes irritably, spotting a beat-up, worn-out car with pieces falling off here and there.
The driver’s side door swung open, and a man practically tumbled out.
“Please! Superhuman, save me!”
A familiar face.
An urgent expression.
And a missing right arm, severed cleanly at the elbow.
His body was covered in wounds.
I widened my eyes in genuine surprise.
It was Kim Chulkwon.
A man who should have been quietly running his gang, now in complete shambles, desperately begging me for help.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt